Lambo ends Gallardo production

The final example of Lamborghini’s least exclusive model ever has rolled out of the ‘other’ supercar maker’s historic Sant'Agata Bolognese factory.

Gallardo number 14,022, a Rosso Mars (red) LP 570-4 Spyder Performante destined for a private collector, was the last version of Lamborghini’s entry-level supercar.

Lamborghini says the last Gallardo marks the end of an era, with its appearance a decade ago in the year of the company's 40th anniversary marking “a fundamental watershed in the history of Automobili Lamborghini”.

Lamborghini, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, produced an average of just 250 cars in its first 40 years, but during 10 years of Gallardo production that increased eight-fold to about 2000 per annum.

Indeed, almost half of all the 30,000 Lamborghinis built since the company was first founded in 1963 are Gallardos.

Despite this, Lamborghini says the model’s popularity exists “while, in global terms, retaining the highly exclusive nature of vehicles bearing the badge of the bull”.

The Gallardo – which takes its name from the exceptionally courageous fighting bull bred in the 18th Century – first appeared at the 2003 Geneva motor show.

Styled by Centro Stile Lamborghini, it set new benchmarks for design, performance and, for the Italian brand at least, quality.

Designed around a lightweight aluminium space frame, the Gallardo appeared with a high-revving naturally aspirated V10 matched to Lamborghini e-gear, an all-new automated manual transmission, and permanent all-wheel drive.

The original Gallardo coupe was joined by the Spyder roadster in 2005 and the stripped-out Superleggera in 2007, before the “second-generation” Gallardo emerged in 2008 with fresh front and rear styling and a 560hp direct-injection V10.

MkII coupe and roadster versions were both launched in 2008, with the more powerful 570hp (425kW) Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera coupe and open-top Spyder Performante following in 2010.

The Gallardo’s appeal was further extended by the LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni limited-edition and the LP 550-2 Spyder, both featuring rear-wheel drive for the first time.

But of the 32 Gallardo variants produced, the Super Trofeo Stradale and Squadra Corse were the most focussed, drawing a direct link between the road and the world's fastest one-make race series, the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo.

While Gallardos set best-in-class lap times at racetracks around the world, the LP 570-4 Squadra Corse set a new benchmark for the model, weighing just 1340kg (dry) and offering a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.35kg/hp.

The result was 0-100km/h acceleration in 3.4 seconds, 0-200km/h acceleration in just 10.4 seconds and a 320km/h top speed.

Of the 45 countries in which it was sold, many received their own unique limited-edition versions of the Gallardo, including Singapore, Malaysia, China and India Editions, while two examples of the specially painted Gallardo Polizia Stradale remain in service with the Italian State Police.

As we’ve reported, the Gallardo will be replaced by the Cabrera, which has been photographed and filmed in testing and is expected to offer around 450kW from an upgraded 5.2-litre V10.